I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to weather forecasting and reporting. More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus which is capable of automatically (1) collecting and processing weather data; and (2) generating and broadcasting alerts when conditions warrant.
II. Discussion of the Prior Art
Since World War II, substantial technological advances have been made both in the field of radio and television broadcasting and in the field of weather forecasting. For many years, these two technologies have been used in tandem to provide weather information to the general public.
Today, nearly every American home is equipped with at least one radio and television. Virtually every car, truck and bus used to transport people is also equipped with a radio. As such, radio and television have become an important means by which members of the public receive local, national and world news. Weather reports are routinely broadcast over radio and television. Radio and television are also excellent tools for transmitting weather alerts when threatening weather conditions exist. Radio and television allow such alerts to be quickly and effectively broadcast to the population in a particular reception area.
Technological advances in weather forecasting have kept pace with those in radio and television broadcasting. Various radar systems, for example, have made it possible to collect important weather data over a wide area.
Despite these and other technological advances, certain problems associated with providing meaningful weather information to the general public continue to exist. For example, weather forecasting to date continues to ultimately be a human endeavor subject to human error. Weather forecasters are flooded with information that must all be analyzed and synthesized in order to assess and predict future weather conditions. This is often a difficult task, made even more difficult when conditions are threatening. Any delay in generating timely weather warnings can have severe consequences including loss of life.
Other problems arise given the vast reception areas covered by most television and radio broadcasters. Often, those located in only a small isolated portion of the broadcast area are threatened by a particular storm. Thunder, lightning, high winds and even tornadoes may be present in one portion of the broadcast area while the sky is clear and there are no impending weather threats in other portions of the broadcast area. If general warnings are broadcast too often, they tend to be ignored. Also, those paying attention have difficulty determining what weather conditions are likely to affect them and what actions should therefore be taken.
The present invention is believed to be an improvement over prior art weather forecasting and alert systems. The present invention overcomes the disadvantages associated with the prior art by automatically processing weather information and generating specific, meaningful alerts without delay.